The points of issue
Copyright page states first Scribner hardcover edition 2018 with a full number line down to 1. Published May 22, 2018; quarter-bound in red cloth over black boards.
Is this the true first?
US Scribner is the collected true first; the UK Hodder and Stoughton edition appeared essentially simultaneously.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the number line and the jacket flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Outsider a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states first Scribner hardcover edition 2018 with a full number line down to 1. Published May 22, 2018; quarter-bound in red cloth over black boards.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Scribner is the collected true first; the UK Hodder and Stoughton edition appeared essentially simultaneously.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club editions lack the number line and the jacket flap price.
I have a first edition of The Outsider — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.